In recent years, to edit books, editing apparatuses have been utilized which comprise a host computer including a data base (hereinafter referred to as a D/B), and small-scale computers (editorial purpose computers) connected to the host computer. The small-scale computers perform data input/output operations, whereas the host computer performs predetermined data processing by employing both the input data and the data registered in the D/B. These data are supervised in a page unit and data to be registered in the D/B among the data representing one page of the book are registered into the D/B.
In an editing apparatus having an arrangement as described above, the small-scale computers perform various functions, but complex operations are required to operate the editing apparatus which accordingly requires a long operating time. As a result, even when simple data is to be input into the editing apparatus, a single small-scale computer may have to be occupied for a long time period. In addition, since the cost of a small-scale computer is high, it becomes very expensive to install a large number of smallscale computers.
The present invention is intended to solve the above-described problems.